Texas DPS charges against photojournalist dropped after UT protest arrest

AUSTIN, Texas - A felony assault charge against a FOX 7 Austin photojournalist has been dropped, according to the photojournalist's attorney.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) had charged photojournalist Carlos Sanchez with assault against a peace officer, a second-degree felony.

Sanchez was arrested while covering a Palestine protest at the University of Texas at Austin last week. 

While in the crowd, Sanchez was pulled backward and to the ground by DPS troopers. He was arrested, charged with criminal trespassing, and spent the night in jail. The charges were dropped the day following the photographer's arrest.

According to the new arrest documents compiled by special agent Justin Winkler, DPS claimed Sanchez lunged at the back of highway patrol trooper Rico Nelson, and hit Nelson with the camera.

Trooper Max Gouge was identified as the DPS trooper who pulled Sanchez to the ground.

The next day, Nelson told a special agent he was struck in the neck area by a large object that didn't feel like an arm, hand or another officer.

On April 29, the Society of Professional Journalists released a statement about the photographer's arrest saying that it "demands the felony assault charge against Carlos Sanchez, a FOX 7 Austin photographer arrested while covering protests at the University of Texas Austin, be dropped immediately."

"It's crystal clear from every angle of videos capturing the incident that Sanchez did not intentionally hit anyone while covering protests at the University of Texas at Austin last week," said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. 

"This is such a dangerous escalation by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and it feels like the agency is trying to send a message to journalists across the state who are covering this highly publicized and developing story."